Drilling installations



March 5, 1963 .e. ISENBERG DRILLING INSTALLATIONS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 1, 1959 FIG. I

March 5, 1963 e. ISENBERG DRILLING INSTALLATIONS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril J., 1959 March 5, 1963 e. ISENBERG 3,079,811

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DRILLING INSTALLATIONS Filed April 1, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 f0/a I ,1

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DRILLING INSTALLATIONS Filed April 1, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 YEW 1 1United States Patent 3,079,811 DRILLING INSTALLATHONS Gustav lsenberg,Duisburg, Germany, assignor to Demag Aktiengesellschaft, Duisburg,Germany Filed Apr. 1, H59, Ser. No. 803,408 Claims priority, applicationGermany Mar. 14, 1957 14- Claims. Il. 74--661) The present inventionrelates to drilling installations of the type used for drilling wellssuch as oil wells and the like.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending applicationSerial No. 703,165, filed December 16, 1957, and now abandoned, andentitled Drilling Installations for Drilling Wells and the Like.

Such installations include one or more driving motors which drivedevices such as a rotary drill table for transmitting the drive directlyto the drill itself, a raising means for raising the drilling apparatus,mud pumps for pumping mud or other fluids out of and/ or into the well.

Installations of this type must fulfill extremely varied requirements,and it is often difficult to meet all of the climculties which ariseduring operation. For example, the greatest possible reliability ofoperation of the installation is required since when a well is severalhundred meters deep it is very undesirable to have a sudden interruptionin the circulation and pressure of the pumped materials such as mud, andinterruption in any other drives is also very undesirable under suchcircumstances. 0n the other hand, it is of advantage if the powerdelivered from the drives can be adapted to the requirements of theparticular operating conditions. Thus, it is desirable to be able toincrease or decrease the number of driving assemblies without greatchanges in the construction of the installation. Furthermore, theseveral units or devices which make up the installation should not betoo heavy and above all should not be too large, since in most casesthey must be transported to the place of operation. The size and weightwhich can be accommodated by a truck or the like used for transportingthe equipment is necessarily limited. Also, it must be possible toconnect a plurality of driving motors with a single shaft from which thedrive is transmitted to the several devices of the installation.Conventional installations of this type are capable of fulfilling onlypart of the above requiremeuts.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a drillinginstallation of the above type which is extremely flexible and capableof being easily and quickly adapted to different operating conditionsand which at the same time is capable of meeting all of the aboverequirements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drillinginstallation which will continue to operate reliably even if there is afailure in the operation of part of the installation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drillinginstallation which has its components arranged in an extremely smallarea so that the installation does not require an undesirably largeamount of space.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a drillinstallation which includes several driving units capable of operatingtogether or separately to drive various components of the installation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an extremelyflexible drill installation which includes a plurality of mud pumpsarranged in groups and capable of being easily operated and overseen bya minimum number of operators.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a structurecapable of accomplishing all of the above objects and at the same timecomposed of simple, ruggedly constructed elements which are veryreliable in operation.

With the above objects in View, the present invention includes in adrilling installation for drilling wells and the like, a pair of outertransmission means and an intermediate transmission means operativelylocated between and removably connected to the pair of outertransmission means. The intermediate transmission means is operativelyconnected with devices such as a raising means, a rotary drill table,and the like, for driving these devices, and the pair of outertransmission means are each operatively connected with at least one mudpump. A pair of driving motors are operatively connected with the pairof outer transmission means, respectively, for transmitting a drivetherethrough to the pumps, respectively, and to the intermediatetransmission means, and these driving motors form with the pair of outertransmission means respectively connected thereto a pair of unitsseparate and disconnectable from the intermediate transmission means. Atleast one pair of clutch means are respectively located between the pairof outer transmission means and the intermediate transmission means forconnecting or disconnecting the drives between the latter and the pairof outer transmission means, respectively. I

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of one possible installation accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a fragmentary partly sectional view of a universal jointshowing how shaft sections of the structure of the invention arearticulated to each other and are removably interconnected;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of another embodiment of an installationaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan View of a third embodiment of aninstallation according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of still another embodiment of adrilling installation according to the present invention; and

FIGS. 5a and 5b are respectively right and left portions of a schematicplan view of yet another embodiment of a drilling installation accordingto the present invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a pair of driving motors 1 and 2 arerespectively connected operatively with and flanged directly to a pairof torque converters 3 and 4 through which the drives from the drivingmotor are respectively distributed to a pair of outer transmission means5 and 6 which are operatively and detachably connected with anintermediate transmission means 7 located between the pair of outertransmission means 5 and 6, so that the plurality of transmission means5-7 form a transmisison which is divided into three separable parts. Theintermediate transmission means 7 is located in and forms part of a gearbox unit 8, while the pair of outer transmission means 5 and 6 arelocated in and form parts of gear boxes 9 and 10, respectively, whichare separate from the gear box 8. The gear boxes 9 and 10 arerespectively located directly in front of the motors 1 and 2 and arelocated on common bases therewith, respectively, so

that these gear boxes 9 and 10 together with the motors 1 and 2 form apair of driving units, respectively, which are independent of each otherand the intermediate transmission means 7.

An articulated shaft 11 interconnects the outer transmission means 5with the intermediate transmission means 7, and an articulated shaft 12interconnects the outer transmission means 6 with the intermediatetransmission means 7. Each of these articulated shafts is in the formofa shaft removably connected by universal joints with a pair of thetransmission means. As may be seen from FIG. 1A, the universal jointswhich connect the shaft sections to each other, in embodiments describedbelow, as well as to the several transmissions may include a pair ofshaft portions a and b each connected to acoupling member and d of theuniversal joint shown in FIG. 1A, the coupling member 0 carrying a pin 2which extends through the ears of the coupling member 0. This pin 2extends through a sleeve f which is turnable about the pin 2 and-whichis connected by a second pin g, similar to the pin e and turnablyconnected to the sleeve to the coupling member d so that the latter isconnected to the sleeve 1 in a manner similar to the connection betweenthe coupling member c and the sleeve 1. This universal joint structureincludes for the pin e, for example, the washer h and the cotter orcross pin 1' which passes through a transverse opening of the pin ebeyond the washer h so that this cotter pin or the like i is removableto enable the universal joint to be disassembled and thus serve todisconnect the shaft portions a and b from each other. In this way theseveral units of the embodiment 'of FIG. 1 can be disconnected from eachother so that the shafts -11 and 12 form a detachable connecting meansdetachably connecting the transmissions 5 and 6 to the intermediatetransmission 7. In the structure described below, all of the universaljoints may have the construction shown in FIG. 1A so that while theytransmit the drive at the same time they render all of the various unitsof all the embodiments separable from each other to greatly facilitatetransportation of the structure in separate units which can be assembledtogether at any desired site. A pair of clutches K1 and K2 arerespectively located between the pair of outer transmission means 5 and6 and the intermediate transmission means 7 for connecting ordisconnecting the latter (from the pair of outer transmission means. Itwill be noted that each of the outer transmission means includes arotary shaft one end of which is near to and the other end of which isdistant" from the intermediate transmission means 7, and the outer endsof these rotary shafts, which are distant from the intermediatetransmission means 7, are provided with clutches K3 and K4,respectively. As apparent from FIG. 1, a bevel gear transmission islocated in each of the gear boxes 9 and 10 and forms part of each outertransmission means. The rotary shaft passes through the bevel gearassembly in a direction perpendicular to the drive shaft of the drivingmotor, and the gear boxes 9 and 10 further include a pair of plain gearsmeshing with each other and also forming part of the outer transmissionmeans, these pairs of plain gears including the gears 13 and 14 of thepair of driving units located at each side of the intermediatetransmission means 7. The clutch K3 is, operated to connect ordisconnect the drive from the motor 1 to the gear 13, and the clutch K4connects or disconnects the drive from the motor 2 to the gear 14. Thedrives are transmitted from the gears 13 and 14 through articulatedshafts 15 and 16, respectively, to a pair of mud pumps 17 and 18,respectively.

Each of the bevel gear drives includes one bevel gear connected directlywith the output shaft of the torque converter and meshing with a pair ofadditional bevel gears coaxial with the rotary shaft of the outertransmission means, and between each of the latter pair of bevel gearsis arranged a clutch for placing one or the other of these bevel gearsin driving engagement with the rotary shaftof the outer transmissionmeans. Thus, FiG. l shows' a pair of clutches K13/14 arranged betweenthe pair of bevel gears of the gear box 9 which are coaxial with therotary shaft of the outer transmission means 5,

and these clutches are capable of being operated to place a Way to placeone or the other of the bevel gears which are coaxial with the rotaryshaft of the outer transmission means 6 in driving engagement with thislatter rotary shaft. A change from one of these bevel gears to the otherchanges the direction of rotation of the outer transmission means. Thefourth gear of each bevel gear assembly is connected with a brake means.FIG. 1 shows the pair of brake means 19 and 29 connected with the latterbevel gears. These brakes serve to brake the drag of the converters.When the transmissions are in their neutral positions, the torqueconverters will still tend to turn the transmissions at a. relativelyslow rate.

-The clutches, which are dog clutches, can be brought into engagementonly when the clutch members are stationary with respect to each other,and the brakes serve to maintain the clutches stationary by preventingthe continued creeping movement of the transmissions by the torqueconverters when the transmissions are in their neutral positions. Theytake the form of brakes which prevent rotation in one direction only sothat the teeth of the clutches can mesh with each other withoutdifiiculty.

The drive from the intermediate transmission means 7 is transmittedthrough a pair of different gear transmissions tothe multiple part shaftmeans 21 whose parts are capable of being placed into and out of drivingengagement with each other by clutches K7,. K8, and K9. A pair ofclutches K5 and K6 are provided on the shaft means 21 between-the twogears of the separate gear transmissions from the intermediate"transmission 7 for optionally placing one or the other of these gearsin driving engagement with the shaft means 21. Of course, the pair ofgear transmissions from the intermediate transmission means 7 to theshaft means 21 have different transmission ratios, and thus, it'ispossible to drive shaft means 21 at different speeds of rotation. Fromthe ends of the shaft means 21 the drive is transmitted on the one handto the rotary drilling table 2.2 and on the other hand to the raisingmeans 23. Clutches Kid and K11 are respectively arranged in thetransmissions to the raising means 23 and the rotary drilling table 22,respectively. An additional driving unit 24 is provided for the table22, and clutches Kl'i/IS are located at the intersection of thetransmissions from the unit 24 to the drilling table 22 and from theintermediate transmission means 7 to the drilling table 22, so that theclutches K17 and K18 may be operated to drive the drilling table 2 2optionally from the intermediate transmission means 7' or from the unit24. An articulated shaft 25 is located between unit 24 and clutches K17and K18, while an articulated shaft 26 is located between the latterclutches and the rotary drilling table 22.

The above-described installation provides several operatingpossibilities as a result of the three independent transmission means 5,6 and 7 as well as the clutches K1 and K2 arranged therebetween, as wellas because of the clutches K3 and K4 for controlling the operation ofthe pumps 17 and 18 and the clutches K13/14 and K15/ 16 of the pair ofdriving units. For example, when the clutch K2 is disengaged and theclutch K4 is engaged the motor 2 drives only the pump 18, while themotor 1, with the clutch K1 engaged, serves to drive the rotary drilltable 22 and the raising means 23. Thus, it is possible to drive thepump-18 independently of the rotary drill table 22 or the raising means23, and at different speeds of rotation, through the separate motors 1and 2. In well drilling such an arrangement is of great advantage sincevery often it is required that the pump be driven with different powersso as to pump different amounts of fluid, and such a variation in theoperation of the pump 18 is possible when the motor 2 is not connectedwith the rest of the installation. When a particularly large amount offluid must be pumped, the clutch K3 can be engaged so that the motor 1also drives the pump 17. The operation of the rotary drilling table andthe like from the motor 1 independently of the motor 2 and the pump 18permits a simple change in the direction of rotation of the rotarydrilling table by operation of the clutches K13/14 without influencingthe drive of the pump 18. On the other hand, the above-describedoperating arrangement may be reversed and the driving unit whichincludes the motor 1 may be used only to drive the pump 17 while themotor 2 is used to drive the other unit such as the rotary drillingtable 22. All these advantages are obtained by the transmission made upof the three parts 5-7, with the intermediate transmission means 7 usedto drive the rotary table 22 and the like while the motors 1 and 2 arerespectively connected with the pair of outer transmission means 5 and6.

Also with the above-described structure when one of the motors fails,as, for example, the motor 1, then the clutch K1 may be disengaged toseparate the motor 1 from the rest of the installation and the singlemotor 2 may be used to operate both the rotary drill table 22 as well asthe pump 18. When there is a failure in the gear box 8, as, for example,a failure in the bearings of the intermediate transmission means 7, itis still possible to continue at least with the circulation of the fluidby continuing operation of the pumps 17 and 18 through the motors 1 and2. This possibility of continuing the operation of the pumps isextremely important and in fact essential since if there is aninterruption in the drilling as, for example, where there is a failurein the drill rod or tube itself, the continued pumping prevents earth,stone, and the like from slipping back down the well and clamping thedrill and drill rod or tube in the well.

In each of the above units which include the motors 1 and 2,respectively, the reduction gearing which includes the gears 13 and 14is carried directly by the housings 9 and 19, respectively.

When an installation of the above type is set up and operating it isalways necessary to increase the amount of fluid pumped by the pumps.When the well has reached a relatively great depth or under specialoperating circumstances resulting from the characteristics of the placewhere the well is being drilled, it is in most cases known that a largevolume must be circulated by the pumps. It is possible to meet thisrequirement by providing larger pumps. However, this solution is notdesirable in practice since it is better to operate with a single pumpsize, and furthermore, it is not always possible to provide large pumpsbecause the driving motors may not be capable of delivering the powernecessary for operating such larger pumps.

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement which makes it possible to meet therequirement of pumping more fluid as the depth of the well increases.Thus, as is shown in FIG. 2, there is provided adjacent to the pump 17 afurther driving unit and a further pump. The drive from the pump 17 ofFIG. 2 is connected through an articulated shaft 119 with a geartransmission 120 and a clutch K5 interconnects this transmission withthe shaft 121 which forms part of a transmission means identical withthe outer transmission means 5 or 6, and this transmission means forms adriving unit with the motor 122. The shaft 121 carries the pair ofclutches K16'/17 in order to place the shaft optionally in drivingengagement with either of the bevel gears carried by the shaft 121, andthese bevel gears are, of course, connected to a torque converter by abevel gear coaxial with the drive shaft of the motor 122. At the side ofthe transmission opposite from the gearing 120 is located an additionalgear transmission 123 provided with a clutch K6 and connected throughthe articu- 6 lated shaft 124 with the additional pump 125. Thus, thedriving unit arranged between the pumps 17 and 125 corresponds to thedriving units which include the motors 1 and 2, the only differencebeing that a pair of transmissions and 123 are provided on both sides ofthe driving unit arranged between the pumps 17 and 125.

Except for the above-noted differences, the embodiment of FIG. 2 issubstantially identical with that of FIG. 1, and the embodiment of FIG.2 makes it possible to drive the pump 125 from the motor 122 and thepump 17 from the motor 1. On the other hand, it is also possible, if themotor 2 should fail, to drive both of the pumps 17 and 125 from themotor 122, so that in this case the motor 1 can devote all of its energyto driving the rotary drill table.

FIG. 2 shows also a drive connection between the in termediatetransmission and the rotary drilling table 22. The intermediatetransmission means is also connected to a rotary raising drum 27 todrive the same. The connection between the intermediate transmissionmeans, rotary drilling table 22 and the rotary raising drum 27 is madeby means of chain drives and gears, as schematically indicated in FIG.2.

Conversely, if the motor 122 should fail then the motor 1 may be usedfor driving both of the pumps 17 and 125. Thus, by extending theinstallation of FIG. 1 to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, throughthe provision of the additional driving unit and pump 125, it is notonly possible to increase pumping capacity of the installation, but alsothe guarantee of continued operation upon failure of components of theinstallation is also greatly increased, since upon failure of one oreven two motors, it will, nevertheless, still be possible to maintainthe circulation of the fluid by operation of a pair of pumps. It shouldbe noted that even if two of the motors, such as the motors 1 and 122,fail, nevertheless, two pumps, such as the pumps 17 and 18 or the pumps17 and 125, can continue to be operated by the single motor 2.

With the arrangement of the invention according to which a plurality oftransmission means are arranged in a direction transverse to the driveshafts of the motors with each of the transmission means having a pairof opposite ends from which power may be delivered, it is possible in asimple way to increase the power provided by the installation as thewell becomes deeper. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 there are provided oneach side of the gear box 8 of the intermediate transmission means apair of motors. Thus, the motors 1a and 1b are located at the left andthe motors 2a and 2b are located at the right of the intermediatetransmission means of FIG. 3. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, a pairof motors form a part of each driving unit. With the embodiment of FIG.3 there is also a transmission divided into three parts, theintermediate transmission means 7 being identical with that of FIGS. 1and 2 and serving to drive the rotary drill table 22, the raising means23 and the rotary washing drum 27. The shafts 5a and 5b of the drivingunit which includes the motors 1a and 1b form part of a single outertransmission means of the embodiment of FIG. 3 which is located at oneside of the intermediate transmission means 7, While the shafts 6a and6b of the other driving unit form part of the other outer transmissionmeans corresponding to the outer transmission means 6. The articulatedshaft 133 interconnects the shafts 5a and 5b while the articulated shaft135 interconnects the shafts 6a and 6b. These shafts 5a, 5b, 6a and 6bare connected to the several driving motors in the same way as therotary shafts of the above-described transmissions which are connectedto the motors 1 and 2. A clutch K20 is provided at the left driving unitof FIG. 3 for connecting and disconnecting the two halves of thisdriving unit, while the clutch K21 of the right driving unit of FIG. 3serves to connect or disconnect the two halves of this driving unit.

In the above-described embodiments of FIGS. 1-3 the are a ranged betweenthe'p'um'ps at the outer ins; ation. A particularly advantageousarrangement is provided, however, when the pumps are arranged directlybetween the driving units. With such an arrangement the pumps arelocated closely ad acent to each other so that only short pump conduitsare required. This is particularly true of the suction lines for thepumps. Also,'with this arrangement, only one suction hole for the wellis required. Furthermore, the valves of the pump can be actuated in lesstime since both of the pumps are arranged near each other at a centralpart of the installation. Furthermore, during cementing or packing thearrangement of both of the pumps directly next to each other is ofparticular advantage. Also, with such an arrangement the greatestpossible use is made of the space behind the main drive.

An arrangement of this type can be used with an mstallation where only asingle motor is connected to each end transmission, or with thearrangement of FIG. 3 where a pair of motors are connected to each ofthe outer transmissions. As apparent from FIG. 3, with this embodiment,each of the outer transmissions is divided into a pair ofsub-transmissions arranged one behind the other and connected togetherto form a single outer transmission means.

FIG. 4 shows the pumps arranged in the manner described above. Thus, thepumps 17 and 18 are located directly next to each other between themotors 1b and 2a at the center of the entire driving setup directlybehind the main gear box 8. The pump 17 is connected by the articulatedshaft 15 with the gear 13 which is connected with the shaft 5b throughthe clutch K3, as was described above in connection with FIG. 3, and ina corresponding manner the pump 18 is connected through the articulatedshaft 16 with the gearing 14 capable of. being connected to or from theshaft 6a by the clutch K4.

The several gear boxes 9a, 9b, 10a and 1050f the outer transmissionmeans of FIGS. 3 and 4 are so formed that the gearing such as thegearing 13 or 14 may be arranged at either side of these gear boxes. Inother words, except for the gearing 13 and 14 connected with the gearboxes 9b and 10a, respectively, the latter gear boxes are identical withthe gear boxes 9a and 1%. It is also possible to arrange still anotherpump either at the left of the motor 1a and/ or at the right of themotor 2b. Instead of' providing gearing 13 and 14 as shown in FIG. 4each made up of three gears, it is also possible to use a gearing madeup of a pair of gears, which is to say a gearing without an intermediategear.

Referring now to FIGS. 5a and 511, it will be seen that the embodimentillustrated therein includes a group of driving motors ittla and 1011)located on one side of the intermediate transmission means 198 whichcorresponds to the above-described intermediate transmission means, anda second group of driving motors 102a and l02b located on the other sideof the intermediate transmission means 168. The several driving motors101a, 1611), 102a,

driving units ends of the I 1232b are respectively connected operativelyto torque converters 103a, 103b, 19 4a, 10 1b which are directly flangedto the driving motors, and the several torque converters transmit thedrives from the several driving motors respectively to the reversiblebevel gear transmissions 165a, 1351), 105e, 105d, these reversible bevelgear transmissions -having the same construction as the reversible bevelgear transmissions described above and each being provided in the sameway with a clutch which enables the transmissions to be connected to orreleased from the driving motors and which enables the output shafts ofthe transmissions to be rotated in one direction or the other. The pairof transmissions 105a and 105b are respectively located in housings 111aand lllb which are respectively flanged directly to the torqueconverters 103a and 1831) at the housings of the latter, while the pairof transmissions ltlSc and 105d are respectively located in housings120a and llZb which are respectively flanged 8. directly to the housingsof the torque converters 104a and 10412. The output shafts 166a and 106bof the transmissions ltlSa and 165i) extend perpendicularly to theoutput shafts of the torque converters 103a and 193b, respectively, andin the same way the output shafts 107a and 19712 of the pair oftransmissions 105a and 165d, respectively, extend transversely to theoutput shafts of the torque converters 104a and 104b. A detachableconnecting means interconnects the pair of transmissions of each groupto each other. Thus, the detachable connecting means ltloc interconnectsthe shaft 166a with the shaft idol), While the detachable connectingmeans 107a interconnects the shaft 107a and the shaft 10717. Thisdetachable connecting means is in the form of a shaft with universaljoints connecting the ends of the shaft to the adjacent ends of theoutput shafts of the pair of transmissions of each group, these shaftsand universal joints having the construction described above inconnection with FIG. 1A. Of course, each driving motor together with thetorque converter connected thereto and the bevel gear transmissionconnected to the torque converter forms a single unit separable from therest of the structure and capable of being separately transported to anydesired site. Each bevel gear transmission includes on its output shafta clutch between the pair of opposed bevel gears on the output shaft foroptionally connecting each bevel gear transmissionto the torqueconverter of its unit, in the same way as described above. Thearticulated shafts 109a and 10% serve to connect the bevelgear'transmissions of the two groups which are adjacent to theintermediate transmission 108 to the latter in a detachable manner, Theintermediate transmission 108 is located in a housing which forms aseparate unit and is connected to the structure described above fortransmitting a drive thereto, only part of the structure which includesthe element 23 being shown in FIGS. 5a and 512 it being understood thatthe drive from the intermediate trans mission means 108 goes on to arotary drilling table as described above in connection with the otherembodiments. The several motors may be placed into or out of drivingengagement with the other units through the clutches 113a and 113brespectively connected to the bevel gear transmissions a and 105b, aswell as the clutches 114a and 11 1b operatively connected with the bevelgear transmissions 1050 and 105d, respectively. Thus, the pair of bevelgear transmissions 105a and 105k form an outer transmission means havingits portions 105a and 105b capable of being selectively interconnectedby the clutch 113a, and this outer transmission means can be selectivelyplaced in driving engagement with the intermediate transmission means108 by the clutch 113b. The pair of bevel gear transmissions 1050 and105d form the other outer transmission means of the embodiment of FIGS.5a and 5b, and the pair of bevel gear transmissions 1050 and 105d areselectively placed in driving engagement with each other through theclutch 114b, while the portion 1050 of this other outer transmissionmeans can be placed selectively in driving engagement with theintermediate transmission means 168 by operation of the clutch 114a.When the clutch 114a is engaged, the drive can be transmitted from thebevel gear transmission 105d through the transmission 105C withoutoperation of the latter by'motor 102 1 to the intermediate transmission103, and in the same way the bevel gear transmission 105a is capable ofoperating through the bevel transmission 105b when the clutch 111% isengaged to transmit a drive from the motor 101a to the intermediatetransmission means 108 even though the motor 101b is not operating.

The gear box 111a of the transmission 105a is capable of having a secondgear box 115:: flanged directly thereto to receive a drive from thetransmission 105a, this second transmission 115a including a clutch foroptionally transmitting a drive from the transmission 105a to thetransmission 1151:. In the same way the gear box lllb has the housing ofa transmission 115b removably connected thereto, this lattertransmission 115b having its own clutch for optionally connecting thelatter to the transmission 19522. Also, the transmission 105c has asecond transmission unit 116a connected thereto and selectively placedin driving engagement therewith by a clutch, while the transmission 165dhas the second transmission unit 1161) connected thereto and capable ofbeing selectively placed in driving engagement therewith through aclutch of the transmission 11617. In this way it is possible to providevarious branching drives from the several transmissions. In theillustrated example there are three branches of the transmissions 105aand 105d, and in the illustrated example there are four branches for thetrans missions 16% and 1051:. Thus, considering the transmission 16512,one branch is the connection to the torque converter 193a, a secondbranch is the connection to the articulated shaft 14i6c, and a thirdbranch is to the transmission 115a which is operatively connectedthrough the articulated shaft 117 with the mud pump 119. Thetransmission 195d has one branch connected to the torque converter 1M1),a second branch connected to the articulated shaft 1670, and a thirdbranch connected to the additional transmission unit 116b which in turntransmits its .drive through the articulated shaft 121 to the mud pump124. The transmissionl'35b has one branch connected to the torqueconverter 103b, a second branch connected to the articulated shaft 109a,a third branch connected to the articulated shaft 1060, and a fourthbranch connected through the additional transmission unit 115k to thearticulated shaft which is composed of the plurality of sections 118a,118b, and 1180 all of which are interconnected by universal joints fortransmitting a drive from the transmission 105 b to the mud pump 121?.The transmission 1950 has one branch connected to the torque converter1114a, a second branch connected to the articulated shaft 1070, athirdbranch connected to the articulated shaft 19%, and a fourthbranch'connected through the additional transmission unit 116a to thearticulated shaft composed of a shaft section 122a, 122b, 1220 all ofwhich are interconnected by universal joints as described above inconnection with FIG. 1A and this articulated shaft 122a, 122b, 1220serves to transmit the drive from the transmission 1050 to the mud pump123. The section 113b of the articulated shaft leading from thetransmission 18511, 11511 to the mud pump 120 is supported for rotationby a bearing fixedly carried by the housing 111a of the transmission165a, so that this shaft section 1181) forms part of the unit whichincludes the motor lftla, the torque converter W301, and the bevel geartransmission 195a, while the shaft section 12212 of the articulatedshaft transmission to the mud pump 123 is supported for rotation by abearing fixedly carried by the housing 112!) of the transmission 195d,so that this shaft section 1221) forms part of the unit which includesthe motor 18212, the torque converter 104b, and the bevel geartransmission 1050!.

It is apparent that with the above-described structure of FIGS. 5a and511 not only can all of the units be easily separated from each otherand transported separately to be assembled together at any desired site,as a result of the possibility of disconnecting the various detachableconnecting means at their universal joints, for example, but in additionthrough selective operation of the clutches it is possible to drive anyone or any combination of the mud pumps as well as the intermediatetransmission means 168 from any one or any combination of the motors101a, 101b, 102a, 1025. Thus, the clutch between the pair of bevel gearson each output shaft of each bevel gear transmission can be disengagedso that this output shaft can turn freely with respect to the bevelgears when the motor of the respective unit does not drive the bevelgears, while the clutch at the end of the output shaft can be engaged sothat it is possible to transmit the drive all the way through the entireassembly in any desired direction. For example, assume that only themotor 102!) is operating while the remaining motors are idle and thatthe clutches on the output shafts 107a, 16Gb and 1061: between the bevelgears thereon are disengaged so that these shafts are capable ofrotating freely with respect to the bevel gears thereon, and also assumethat the clutches 113a, 113b, 114a, and 114b are engaged. Then it isclear that the single motor 10% can drive all the way through to the mudpumps 119 and 120 and furthermore the same motor can drive the other twomud pumps as well as the intermediate transmission means 108, the drivebeing transmitted through the latter from the shaft 109]) to the shaft109a. In the same way it is possible to drive all or part of thestructure from all or part of the driving motors in any desiredcombination so that the structure is extremely flexible.

The arrangement shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b is of particular advantage withrespect to the operation. It is a simple matter for a single operator totake care of a group of pumps and motors arranged on one side of theintermediate transmission means so as to supervise the feeding of fuelto the motors and as well as to check on the conduits leading to andfrom the mud pumps. For each group of mud pumps only a single suctionopening is required. The actuation of the valve or valves in theconduits leading to and from the pumps is very easy to carry out i-n'aneflicient manner with the distribution of the units as-illustrated inFIGS. 5a and 5b, and the entire organization can be very etficientlysupervised by a minimum number of attendants.

Each of the above-described driving units, composed of at least onemotor with a converter and gearing connected thereto, is mounted on asingle base so that the entire driving unit is movable as one assemblyand may be set up in the vicinity of the drilling tower as a closedunit. After the units are thus set up, .one end of each outertransmission means is connected with a pump, with the interposition of aclutch in the connection, while the other end of each end transmissionis connected with the intermediate transmission means also with theinterposition of a clutch. In an arrangement such as that of FIG. 2, theadditional driving unit shown at the left of FIG. 2 is, of course,connected with neighboring pumps.

With the arrangement of the invention it is possible to arrange thedriving units and pumps in a single row which extends transversely tothe longitudinal axes of the driving motors so that any desired numberof driving units and pumps may be arranged close to each other in such arow to provide any desired enlargement of the installation in a simple,quick, convenient fashion, when because of special circumstances anincreased power output is required or when because of a particularlygreat depth of the well a relatively large amount of material must bepumped.

By providing the driving units with torque converters, the slightunavoidable variations in the speed of rotation in the several drivingmotors are easily compensated while at the same time the several drivingunits can be connected directly together or with each other through theintermediate transmission means. The articulated shafts whichinterconnect the several components of the installation automaticallycompensate for differences in elevation of the several components ordifferences in horizontal positioning of the components.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find "a useful application in other types ofdrill installations difiering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied inwell drilling installations, it is not intended to be limited to thedetails shown, since various modifications and structural changes may bemade without departing in any way from the spirit of the presentinvention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims. 7

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, incombination, an intermediate transmission means and a pair of outertransmission means, said intermediate transmission means being adaptedto transmit a drive to devices such as a raising means, a rotary drilltable, and the like, for driving the same; a pair of detachableconnecting means respectively detachably connecting said pair of outertransmission means to said'intermediate transmission means fortransmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer transmissionmeans to said intermediate transmission means while rendering said pairof outer transmission means optionally detachable from said intermediatetransmission means; a pair of driving motors respectively connectedoperatively with said pair of outer transmission means for driving thesame and for transmitting therethrough a drive to saidintermediate'transmission means when the latter is connected with saidpair of outer transmission means, said pair of outer transmission meansrespectively forming units with said pair 'of driving motors so thatsaid pair of units are separable from said intermediate transmissionmeans; a pair of pump means respectively located adjacent said pair ofdriving motors; and a second pair of detachable connecting meansdetachably connecting said pair of outer transmission means respectivelyto said pair of pump means for transmitting drives respectively fromsaid pair of outer transmission means to said pair of pump means whilerender ing the latter disconnectable from said pair of outertransmission means so that said pump means also form separate unitsseparable from the units formed by said driving motors and pair of outertransmission means.

2. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, incombination, an intermediate transmission means and a pair of outertransmission means, said intermediate transmission means being adaptedto transmit a drive to devices such as a raising means, a rotary drilltable, and the like, for driving the same; a pair of detachableconnecting means respectively detachably connecting said pair of outertransmission means to said intermediate transmission means fortransmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer transmissionmeans to said intermediate transmission means while rendering said pairof outer transmission means optionally detachable from said intermediatetransmission means; a pair of driving motors respectively connectedoperatively with said pair of outer transmission means for driving thesame and for transmitting therethrough a drive to said intermediatetransmission means when the latter is connected with said pair of outertransmission means, said pair of outer transmission means respectivelyforming units with said pair of driving motors so that said pair ofunits are separable from said intermediate transmission means; a pair ofpump means respectively located adjacent said pair of driving motors; asecond pair of detachable connecting means detachably connecting saidpair of outer trans-- mission means respectively to said pair of pumpmeans for transmitting drives respectively from said pair of outertransmission means to said pair of pump means while rendering the latterdisconnectable from said pair of outer transmission means so that saidpump means also form separate units separable from the units formed bysaid driving motors and pair of outer transmission means; and aplurality of clutch means respectively located at said first-mentionedpair of detachable connecting means between said intermediatetransmission means and said pair of outer transmission means as well asbetween said pair of outer transmission means and said pair of pumpmeans,

respectively, for optionally connecting the drives from the drivingmotors to the pump means and intermediate transmission means in a mannerenabling either driving motor to operate only one pump or enablingeither driving motor to operate both pumps and the intermediatetransmission means while the other driving motor is idle.

3. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, incombination, a pair of outer gear transmission means and an intermediatetransmission means located between said pair of outer gear transmissionmeans; a pair of drive means including each a driving motor and a torqueconverter located adjacent to and operatively connected to said pair ofouter gear transmission means, respectively, for driving the same; acommon base frame for mounting each of said drive means and the outergear transmission means connected thereto so that said drive means andthe pair of outer gear transmission means re- 4. In a drillinginstallation for drilling wells and the like, in combination, a pair ofouter transmission means and an intermediate transmission means locatedbetween said pair of outer transmission means, each of said outertransmission means including a transmission shaft, a pair of bevel gearsturnably mounted on said transmission shaft, and coupling means forselectively coupling said bevel gears with said transmission shaft;driving motor arranged adjacent each of said pair of outer transmissionmeans, having each a drive shaft; a bevel gear mounted on the driveshaft of each driving motor and meshing with said pair of bevel gears ofthe outer transmission means adjacent thereto, said driving motors andthe pair of outer transmission means respectively connected therewithforming a pair of units separate from said intermediate transmissionmeans; at least one pair of clutch means respectively located betweensaid transmission shafts and said intermediate transmission means forconnecting or disconnecting said intermediate transmission to and fromsaid pair of outer transmission means, respectively; and a pair of mudpumps operatively connected to said pair of outer transmission means,respectively.

5. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, incombination, an intermediate transmission means; a plurality of drivingmeans arranged in two rows each respectively at opposite sides of saidintermediate transmission means, each of said rows including an innerdriving unit located adjacent said intermediate transmission means andan outer driving unit located distant from said intermediatetransmission means; clutch means located between each of said innerdriving units and said intermediate transmission means for connectingand disconnecting said inner driving units with said intermediatetransmission means; clutch means located between the driving units ineach row for connecting and disconnecting said driving units; and meansfor connecting the outer driving units of said rows with a pair of mudpumps, respectively, for driving the same.

6. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, incombination, an intermediate transmission means; a plurality of drivingmeans arranged in a row at each side of said inter-mediate transmissionmeans, each of said rows including an inner driving unit locatedadjacent said intermediate transmission means and an outer driving unitlocated distant from said intermediate trans- 13 a mission means; aclutch means located between each of said inner units and saidintermediate transmission means for connecting and disconnecting saidinner driving units with said intermediate transmission means; clutchmeans located between the driving units in each row for connecting anddisconnecting said driving units; a pair of mud pumps located betweensaid inner units; and means for connecting said inner units to said mudpumps, respectively, so that said mud pumps maybe driven by said innerunits.

7. In a drilling installation, for drilling wells and the like, incombination, inter-mediate transmission means adapted to be connectedwith devices such as a raising means, a rotary drill table, and thelike, for transmitting a drive thereto; a pair of outer transmissionmeans; a pair of detachable connecting means detachably connecting saidpair of outer transmission means to said intermediate transmission meansso that a pair of drives may be transmitted to the latter from said pairof outer transmission means when the latter are connected to saidintermediate transmission means; a pair of groups of driving motorsrespectively connected operatively with said pair of outer transmissionmeans for transmitting a drive thereto; and at least one pair of mudpumps located beside each other adjacent one of said groups of drivingmotors and operatively connected with at least one of said outertransmission means to be driven thereby optionally from any one of orfrom any combination of all of said driving motors.

8. In a drilling installation, in combination, intermediate transmissionmeans for transmitting a drive to devices such as a rotary drill tableor the like; a pair of outer transmission means; a pair of detachableconnecting means detachably connecting said pair of outer transmissionmeans to said intermediate transmission means for transmitting a driveto the latter while rendering said pair of outer transmission meansseparable from said intermediate transmission means; two groups ofmotors respectively connected operatively to said pair of outertransmission means for driving the latter; a plurality of mud pumpsequal in number to the number of motors which constitute each group andlocated adjacent each group; and a plurality of detachable connectingmeans respectively connecting said pair of outer transmission means tosaid plurality of mud pumps for transmitting to the latter drives fromsaid motors, some of the latter plurality of detachable connecting meansincluding single shafts and others including shafts composed of a numberof parts.

9. In a drilling installation, in combination, a plurality of units eachcomposed of a driving motor, a torque converter fixed to the output endof the driving motor and driven thereby, and a bevel gear transmissionconnected to the output end of the torque converter to be driven by thelatter, as well as a clutch means for optionally placing the bevel geartransmission into or out of driving connection with the torque converterso that the motor and converter of each unit may be optionally connectedto or disconnected from the bevel gear transmission of each unit, saidplurality of units being divided into two groups which are spaced fromeach other with the units of each group located adjacent each other;detacha-ble connecting means interconnecting the bevel geartransmissions of the units of each group; a plurality of mud pumps equalin number to the number of units of each group and located adjacent eachgroup on one side thereof closely adjacent to each other; a plurality ofdetachable connecting means respectively connecting the bevel geartransmissions of the units of each group to the plurality of mud pumpslocated adjacent each group for transmitting a drive to the mud pumps;intermediate transmission means located between the groups of units andadapted to transmit a drive to devices such as a rotary drilling table;and a pair of detachable conuecting means detachably connecting saidintermediate transmission means to the bevel gear transmissions of thoseunits of the two groups which are nearest to the intermediatetransmission means.

10. In a drilling installation, in combination, a plurality of unitseach including a driving motor and a gear transmission operativelyconnected thereto to be driven thereby, said units being arranged in apair of groups with the several units of each group located adjacenteach other; a shaft and plurality of universal joints interconnectingthe transmissions of each pair of adjacent units of each group; anintermediate transmission means for transmitting a drive to a devicesuch as a rotary drilling table; detachable connecting means detachablyconnecting the transmission of the pair of units which are nearest tothe intermediate transmission means to the latter for transmitting adrive thereto; and a plurality of mud pumps respectively arranged ingroups located adjacent the groups of units and respectively connectedoperatively to the plurality of units to'be driven thereby.

. 11. In a drilling installation, in combination, a pair of units eachincluding a driving motor and a gear transmissions means operativelyconnected thereto and having a shaft driven by the driving motor of therespective unit, said pair of units being located beside each other;articulated shaft means extending between said driven shafts of saidgear transmission means of said units and including a clutch means foroptionally placing said gear transmission means in driving engagementwith each other; an additional transmission means operatively connectedto one of the gear transmission means of said units to be driven fromthe latter; and a mud pump operatively connected to said additionaltransmission means to be driven from the latter.

12. In a drilling installation or the like, in combination, a drivingmotor; a gear box mounted on a common base with said driving motor; afirst gear transmission means in said gear box and having a first shaftdriven by said driving motor; a second shaft mounted in said gear boxfor rotation about its axis; a second gear transmission means in saidgear box for driving said second shaft from said first shaft; a pump;articulated shaft means detachably connecting the pump to said secondshaft to be driven from the latter; and clutch means located betweensaid first and said second transmission means for optionally placing thepair of transmission means into or out of driving connection with eachother.

13. In a drilling installation, in combination, intermediatetransmission means for transmitting a drive to a device such as a rotarydrilling table or the like; a pair of elongated drives respectivelyconnected to and extending in opposite directions from said intermediatetransmission means, each of said elongated drives including a pair ofgear transmissions located one behind the other along each elongateddrive so that one of the pair of transmissions of each drive is locatednearer to said intermediate transmission means than the other; aplurality of driving motors respectively connected operatively to saidgear transmissions for driving the same and respectively forming unitstherewith; a pair of mud pumps located adjacent each of said drives;detachable connecting means detachably connecting the pair of geartransmissions of each drive to the pair of mud pumps located adjacentthe same; and a plurality of clutch means operatively connected withsaid gear transmissions for optionally connecting any one or anycombination of the driving motors to the intermediate transmissionsmeans as Well as to any one or any combination of the plurality of mudpumps.

14. In a drilling installation for drilling wells and the like, incombination, elongated shaft means including an intermediate shaftportion, a pair of outer shaft portions, a pair of universal jointsrespectively connecting said intermediate shaft portion to said outershaft portions and a pair of coupling means respectively located betweensaid universal joints and said intermediate shaft 15 portion forcoupling and uncoupling said intermediate shaft portion to said outershaft portions, respectively, said intermediate shaft portion formingpart of an intermediate transmission means adapted to transmit a driveto devices such as raising means, a rotary drill table, and the like,for driving the same; a pair of outer transmission means having each ashaft extending substantially in the same direction as said elongatedshaft means; an additional pair of universal joints respectivelyconnecting said shafts of said pair of outer transmission means to saidpair of outer shaft portions of said elongated shaft means; a pair ofdriving motors respectively operatively connected with said pair ofouter transmission means for driving the same and for transmittingtherethrough a drive to said intermediate shaft portion when the latteris connected to said outer shaft portions of said elongated shaft means,said pair of outer transmission means respectively forming units withsaid pair of driving motors so that said pair of units are separablefrom said intermediate transmission means; a pair of pump meansrespectively located adjacent said pair of driving motors; and a pair ofdetach-able connecting means detachably connecting said pair of outertransmission means respectively to said pair of pump'means fortransmitting drives respectively from said pair of outer-transmissionmeans to' said pair of pump means While rendering the latterdisconnectable from said pair of outer transmission means so that saidpump means also form separate units separable from the units formed bysaid driving motors and said pair of outer transmission means. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS :GreatBritain Mar. 7, 1956

1. IN A DRILLING INSTALLATION FOR DRILLING WELLS AND THE LIKE, INCOMBINATION, AN INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS AND A PAIR OF OUTERTRANSMISSION MEANS, SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS BEING ADAPTEDTO TRANSMIT A DRIVE TO DEVICES SUCH AS A RAISING MEANS, A ROTARY DRILLTABLE, AND THE LIKE, FOR DRIVING THE SAME; A PAIR OF DETACHABLECONNECTING MEANS RESPECTIVELY DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID PAIR OF OUTERTRANSMISSION MEANS TO SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS FORTRANSMITTING DRIVES RESPECTIVELY FROM SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSIONMEANS TO SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS WHILE RENDERING SAID PAIROF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS OPTIONALLY DETACHABLE FROM SAID INTERMEDIATETRANSMISSION MEANS; A PAIR OF DRIVING MOTORS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTEDOPERATIVELY WITH SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS FOR DRIVING THESAME AND FOR TRANSMITTING THERETHROUGH A DRIVE TO SAID INTERMEDIATETRANSMISSION MEANS WHEN THE LATTER IS CONNECTED WITH SAID PAIR OF OUTERTRANSMISSION MEANS, SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS RESPECTIVELYFORMING UNITS WITH SAID PAIR OF DRIVING MOTORS SO THAT SAID PAIR OFUNITS ARE SEPARABLE FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE TRANSMISSION MEANS; A PAIR OFPUMP MEANS RESPECTIVELY LOCATED ADJACENT SAID PAIR OF DRIVING MOTORS;AND A SECOND PAIR OF DETACHABLE CONNECTING MEANS DETACHABLY CONNECTINGSAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS RESPECTIVELY TO SAID PAIR OF PUMPMEANS FOR TRANSMITTING DRIVES RESPECTIVELY FROM SAID PAIR OF OUTERTRANSMISSION MEANS TO SAID PAIR OF PUMP MEANS WHILE RENDERING THE LATTERDISCONNECTABLE FROM SAID PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS SO THAT SAIDPUMP MEANS ALSO FORM SEPARATE UNITS SEPARABLE FROM THE UNITS FORMED BYSAID DRIVING MOTORS AND PAIR OF OUTER TRANSMISSION MEANS.